Tuesday, September 30, 2014

I gave up vegetarianism--gave up giving up meat--for awhile. It started with nibbles first, then grew, until I actually had chicken, beef, pork, at more than a meals a week. I always liked meat; that wasn't the problem. As you may recall, the Kentucky Derby was the problem. I hadn't forgotten my moral reasoning; only I was tired of beans and tofu and eggs and lettuce and NOT having chicken, etc. There's something about the tasty salts and fats in meat dishes--even just the sauces--that aren't replicated in vegetarian dishes often. And it is SO much easier to cook only one meal for all of us (no, I don't require anyone else to be a vegetarian in the family; I adapt our meal plan to complement omnis and vegheads.) It was a slippery slope and I fell right down. (And yes, I was a bit sheepish, no, ashamed, to admit as much here directly, though I think there were hints; I'm reflecting on that.)

Without realizing it, I also started not to feel well, with an upset stomach. Was it the stress of the end of summer and the new school year? Was it the pain meds and muscle relaxers I sometimes take? Celiac? The Big C?

And then someone said, duh, you're eating meat again. After 6 1/2 years.

So I stopped again over the weekend and I already feel better. There's no less stress (house tours and Girl Scouts start this week), no fewer meds than usual. Just no meat.

I'm sure I'll still have the nibbles and tastes; I was always more practical than perfect. But I'm not sure I'll be tempted anytime soon to make meat even a side part of my diet.

Monday, September 29, 2014

We were sitting around the campfire on Friday night--Goo, Mama, Sis, Bud, and I--singing songs, telling stories ("I'm going to catch you, then I'm going to eat you!" the story of the booger-eating gnome) and eating (albeit microwaved because of miniature marshmallows) s'mores.

And I heard a "hooo" in the background, which at first I thought was an owl.

"OOooo, oooo, a-ooooooooooo!"

I knew that sound.

When I as a child visiting my grandparents home, Raucus, in the "wilds" outside Dallas, we all slept in a big room with two double beds. Mom slept with Aunt Banana because she was as squirmer and I slept with Dad because I wasn't. (Could also be that the best fit in those small beds was adult-child, not adult-adult) I know Gommie got kicked, but I got the short end of that stick, because, just as I would be falling asleep, Pop would begin to howl like the coyotes we often heard outside. And he'd even poke me for emphasis.

Very restful.

But still, I know from a coyote. And that's what we heard outside Friday night. I know there are coyotes in the area--they've been spotted for years--but I also know that coyotes are very rarely dangerous to humans (three fatal coyote attacks in US and Canada EVER.) Still, the kids were a bit spooked, even with the assurances of three adults and a roaring campfire.

So we just sang louder and soon the howling stopped.

But Pop, please don't howl at the kiddos next time you're outside together. Or I'm going to send them to sleep in your room!

My hospice patient died this weekend. And I can only say that I am relieved, for her and for me. I saw her on Friday and she was struggling, both physically and mentally, from both the disease and from regrets I had learned she had. I won't go into the details, if only to give her some dignity after the fact, but it was hard to be with her. Her body was clearly readying for death, but she was scared and not ready to leave. "Please help me," she would beg, not wanting to be alone. I checked with nurses and our main hospice team about her medication, but she was apparently getting what she needed and could tolerate. Still, without a family to advocate for her (there were difficulties and she was mainly alone), I felt I had to try to help; this wasn't the kind of death that hospice aims for or that we would envision for our loved ones. Still, I kept trying, even as I realized she had burned out so many previous professional caregivers at the facility. I held her hands, read poetry and prayers, sung lots of songs, rubbed her with lotion, smoothed her hair. When she talked of an appointment to which she needed to hurry, I told her to go, that she was ready, that she wasn't late, that we knew she had to go, that we were ready, and that we wished her a good journey. I said goodbye when I left, not knowing it would be the last time. I'm glad it was. May she rest in peace, free from all of her suffering. I learned from her, even though the lessons about loss and death, dignity and dying, fear and forgiveness, pain and peace, the limitations of hospice, the importance of loved ones, maintaining boundaries while keeping compassion, were harder than I expected.

A month or so ago, Mama suggested a very unusual and special date night. "Let's go see Gone with the Wind" in the movie theater." While I have seen the movie dozens of times, starting in early childhood--I was even Scarlett O'Hara for Halloween (in Gommie's billowy white prom dress) and read the whole 1045-page book one summer (it's very different from the movie--Scarlett has a child with each husband, for instance, and you learn all about her parents' courtship)--and Mama will tell you that my conversations are regularly sprinkled with GWTW references and quotes, I had never seen it on the big screen.

So, this weekend, we went for date night . . . to the 4-hour movie. And it was magical. First, they showed the film in its original aspect ratio, which is square! Also, the film wasn't played nearly as loudly as modern pictures. But the big screen and the immediate attention it demanded allowed us to notice several things--like the cat lounging under the sundial at Twelve Oaks, all the various musical themes of the film's score, the use of silhouettes throughout the film, panoramic vistas, the parallel narrative arcs of the first and second parts (mainly the death of Mrs. O'Hara in the first part and Melanie in the second and the crisis each spurs on), the rapid-fire dialogue, and more.

Of course, seen through the lens of early 21st-century liberal thought, we couldn't help but be disturbed by the elevation of a murderous, immoral, cheating, wife-beating man to heartthrob (or his murderous, immoral, lying, drunk wife to heroine) and the characterization and caricature of the film's African Americans. It didn't help that the audience laughed every time Mammy talked and cheered when Rhett hauled Scarlett up the stairs to be raped--about which she was smiling and singing the next morning! That is to say nothing of the glorification or mythologizing of the Old South.

Still, it's a gorgeous, well-paced, expansive film, the stuff of my childhood (and gauging from the sold-out theater, many others'). And I think I'll be quoting from it even more now.

We had a wonderful Applepalooza on Saturday, even if it did feel warmer than your average fall day. Several friends came, though most of them didn't know each other. So it was a great get-to-know-each-other gathering. Even the kids made some new friends, while playing yard games like tic tac toe and lawn darts, plus chalk in the driveway, soccer and basketball. And we all enjoyed some wonderful apple treats, including four apple crisps, two cakes, and a casserole. But not a single pie!

We were especially lucky because Goo came up for the party. He spent Friday night with us, staying up late as we sat around a campfire outside talking and even singing. Then Saturday morning, he did our rounds to kung fu and ice skating. And he made a wonderful apple cake from Alton Brown. We were so glad he could share the day with us (and he was a big help with setting up and cleaning up.)

Assemble the ingredients via the Creaming Method, folding in the apples and pecans last.

The Creaming Method:

1. Scale or measure all ingredients. Fats should be pliable but solid (no sign of melting). If kitchen temp is over 70°F, chill the mixing bowl.

2. Combine all Dry Goods (except sugar) by pulsing in food processor.

3. In a small bowl, beat eggs together along with any extracts.

4. Using a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, mix the fat(s) alone for a minute to spread them around the bowl. Add sugar(s) slowly and beat until mixture lightens noticeably in texture and increases slightly in volume.

5. Reduce the speed to “stir” and add the eggs very slowly, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

6. Work in the Dry Goods in three installments alternating with any additional liquids, such as milk. Always start with the dry ingredients and finish with the wet for a smoother batter.

7. Stir in any bits and/or pieces (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.).

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake until the internal temperature reaches 212°F, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Applepalooza 2014 is soon heading our way and we are SO excited. And so, as I mull over what to make, I gathered all of the apple recipes posted here on my blog.
And I'm hoping we add more this weekend!!
-=-=-=-=-=-TRIED AND TRUEPatricia’s Apple PieNow this is my signature apple pie, made for all holidays. And as Grandma always used to say, “Apple pie without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze!” DP didn’t believe until she tried it (now there's always a hunk of cheddar in the house during apple season).

Mix all ingredients except apple pie filling and form into a dough ball. Divide ball in two.

Grease a 9x13 pan. Press one dough ball into pan. Spread apple filling over dough. Crumble other ball in teaspoon-size crumbs over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Miss R

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Apple Enchilada Dessert

1-21 oz can apple pie filling

6-8" flour tortillas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup margarine or butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup water (some suggest reducing to 1/3 cup)

Preheat oven to 350. Spoon fruit evenly onto all tortillas, sprinkle with cinnamon. Rollup tortillas and place seam-side down on lightly greased 8x8 pan. Bring margarine, sugars, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Pour sauce evenly over tortillas; sprinkle with extra cinnamon on top, if desired. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes (some suggest adding an extra 10 minutes baking time or broiling for 5 minutes at the end).

Makes 6 large enchiladas. May be cut in half to serve 12.

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Apple Butter Monkey Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 (12 ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Apple Butter

3 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Separate biscuits and cut in quarters. In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll biscuit pieces and chopped apples in cinnamon sugar to coat, and drop them in a greased Bundt pan. Make sure they are distributed evenly.

2. On the stove top, heat the butter, brown sugar and sugar to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in Apple Butter. Pour mixture over the dough, and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, turn upside down onto serving plate, and remove pan.

To make the cake: Mix all of the ingredients except the apples and nuts in a large bowl.

Beat until well combined; the mixture will be very stiff, and may even be crumbly.

Add the apples and nuts, and mix until the apples release some of their juice and the stiff mixture becomes a thick batter, somewhere between cookie dough and brownie batter in consistency.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it with your wet fingers.

Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few wet crumbs clinging to it.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool completely; don't remove the cake from the pan.

To make the frosting: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts.

Add the milk, bring to a boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners' sugar. Spread on the cake while frosting is still warm.

Yield: about 2 dozen servings.

Tips from our bakers

To toast nuts, place them in a single layer in a cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 6 to 9 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell "toasty."

To guarantee lump-free frosting, sift confectioners' sugar before adding to the butter mixture. Usually all the lumps disappear as you beat the frosting; but to guarantee no lumps at all, sift the sugar first.

OTHER FAVORITES from FRIENDS

Fruit Torte

Cream

¾ cup sugar

½ cp butter (unsalted or margarine)Add

1cup
flour, sifted

pinch
of salt

1 teaspoon
baking power

2eggs

Place in 9-inch
ungreased spring form pan.Add to top
and cover entire surface with one of the following or a combination of:

24halves
pitted Italian Plums (skin side up)

1pint
blueberries

Sliced
Apples

Sliced
peaches

(In winter, frozen
or canned blueberries or peaches may be substituted.If using canned, drain and wash off syrup
well.)

Sprinkle top with

1-2Tablespoons
sugar

1Teaspoon
or more Cinnamon

Drizzle
lemon juice

Flour
(if fruit is very juicy)

Bake at 350˚F for
40-45 minutes.
Delicious when served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.Best served slightly warm.Refresh in oven, if desired.

May be
refrigerated or frozen for several months well wrapped.Bring to room temperature and reheat @ 300˚
until warm.

2. Bring dried apples and cider to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; cook until liquid evaporates and mixture appears dry, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

3. Whisk flour and baking soda in medium bowl to combine; set aside. In second medium bowl, whisk sugar, ginger, and cardamom. Measure 2 tablespoons sugar-spice mixture into small bowl, add crystallized ginger, and set aside for topping.

4. In food processor, process cooled dried-apple mixture and applesauce until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed; set aside. Whisk egg and salt in large bowl to combine. Add sugar-spice mixture and whisk continuously until well combined and light colored, about 20 seconds. Add butter in three additions, whisking after each. Add applesauce mixture and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; using rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined and evenly moistened.

*Hazelnut oil is basically oil that is pressed from hazelnuts that possesses a delicate nutty and buttery flavour. If hazelnut oil is not available, you can substitute with macadamia oil or vegetable oil.

Preheat oven to 190ºC or 375F.Brush cavities of a mini bundt pan or doughnut pan with hazelnut oil.Sprinkle with sugar, shaking out excess. (MY NOTE: This didn't oil-sugar step didn't work well for me--the first batch of doughnuts didn't release so I just started spraying the pan with cooking spray and skipped the sugar; worked perfectly).In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.In another bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, apple puree, maple syrup, cider, yoghurt and hazelnut oil.Add dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.Divide the batter among the prepared mini bundt pan or doughnut pans, filling only about halfway up the pans.Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched lightly.Loosen edges and turn the doughnuts out onto a rack to cool.

MY NOTE: When still warm, roll in superfine sugar instead of icing them.If required, clean the pans then re-coat it with oil and sugar.Repeat with remaining batter.

TO MAKE THE ICINGCombine the icing sugar, vanilla and 1 tbsp of milk in a small bowl.Mix until the icing is of a drizzling consistency. If not, add more milk.Turn over the doughnuts into the bowl of icing and dip for about 5 seconds until the tops are completely covered.Return to wire rack to allow icing to set.from ilovemilkandcookies

-=-=-=-=-

Caramel Apples

2 bags or 100 pieces wrapped square caramels

1/4 cup water

Melt caramels in water in medium saucepan over medium heat. Transfer to crockpot. Serve with apples on a stick or apple slices. Can also top with rice krispies, nuts, coconut, jimmies, or whatever you like. Careful, it hardens quickly. You can also add half and half (1 1/3 cups) to make a creamier caramel dip.

paraphrased from the Kraft caramel bag

-=-=-=-=-

Mystery Apple Cake

2 cups chopped apples

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Sift dry ingredients over nuts and apples in a bowl. Mix 1 egg, 2/3 cup mazola oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together. Pour over and mix well with dry ingredients. Mixture will be stiff. Spread in a greased 8 or 9" pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 325F.

Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine apples, sugar, and lemon in slow cooker and toss to mix. Cover and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours. Mash apple mixture until smooth (we skipped this part). Sprinkled with cinnamon and mix well. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Note: we cooked the cinnamon in with the apples, having misread the recipe, but I don't think it hurt it any. And it smelled so good.

Jyl Steinback, The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook

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Mulled Cider

1 gallon sweet cider or hard cider*

9 whole cloves

9 whole allspice

6 cinnamon chips

Simmer the above for 3 hours over low heat, skimming the top as necessary. The cider should then be cooled and set for 24 hours. Before serving, simmer for 1 hour. Heat a poker cherry red and quench it in the cider as it is simmering. Do this once more immediately before serving.

(*If hard cider is difficult to obtain, use sweet cider and add 2/3 quart applejack and 1/3 quart brandy immediately before serving as the spirit will dissipate if heated in the cider.)

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the zucchini and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Simmer, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 9 x 13" baking pan.

To make crust, in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and vanilla. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press half of the crust mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Spread the zucchini mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining crust mixture evenly on top of the zucchini. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown.

Instructions:
Make a sauce be melting the butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat; stir in sugar. And cornstarch. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients.

Add apples to the sauce cover and cook over medium heat. Occasionally spoon the sauce over the apples as they cook.

Serve warm with and top with fresh ground nutmeg.

This is a highly requested recipe at the Ivy House.

[Basically, since our recipe was adapted, the instructions are: melt butter and sugar together in skillet. Add peeled, cored, and sliced apples. Sautee until reach desired consistency. I like them soft. Best served warm).

-=-=-=-=-=-

Apple Crisp for the Crockette

2-3 small apples, peeled and sliced

6 tablespoons butter, melted plus 1 tablespoon butter, unmelted

3/4 cup oatmeal (I am using up my awful quick-cooking oats)

2-3 tablespoons brown sugar

nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

nuts, dried fruit such as craisins or raisins, optional (I'd only add about 1/4 cup or so)

Put 2 cups of apple cider in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the cider is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 25 minutes. Set aside This can be made one day ahead and reheated gently.

To make the oatmeal: in a medium saucepan, put the remaining 2 cups of cider, 1 1/2 cups of water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and add the oatmeal. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer, until the oatmeal is the desired thickness.

Peel apples. Slice and remove seed circle. Put in ziploc/bowl and squeeze lime juice all over slices. Oven at 350 (I had it at 325 and I think that was too low). Cover baking sheet with foil (spray or grease cause they will stick). Prep a bowl of cinnamon sugar to your taste. Take slices and dip one side in sugar mix. Place sugar side up on sheet and back to your liking. 40 minutes would make the thin slices crispy. Experiment with how your family likes them. I prefer thicker and still a little juicy, but original recipe called for crispy (and no lime juice-I added that for more of a tart taste). Also, next time I'll add some grated nutmeg to the sugar mix, and use big apples to make it easier to cut out the middle and make true circles.

Relax this week, my friend. Seems like you've been quite a busy camper! Thanks again for your hospitality yesterday - the mulled cider was banging!

Judi

Salted Caramel Apple Bars

Shortbread Crust

1/2 cup
(115g) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup
(50g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon
vanilla extract

1/4
teaspoon salt

1 cup
(125g) all-purpose flour

Apple Filling

2 large
apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)1

2
Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2
Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon

1/8
teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel

1/2 cup
(40g) old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup
(70g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon

1/4 cup
(30g) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup
(60g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

caramel sauce

Preheat the
oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square
baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on
all sides. Set aside.

Make the
crust: Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt
together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined.
Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes
while you prepare the filling and streusel.

Make the
apple filling: Combine the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar,
cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are
evenly coated. Set aside.

Make the streusel: Whisk the oats, brown sugar,
cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a
pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture
resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Remove the
crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C). Evenly layer the
apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple
slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple
layer with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden
brown.

Remove
from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature,
then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the
foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into
bars. I usually cut them into 16 smaller bars, but you can cut them into 12
larger bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of
each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature,
or even cold.

Make ahead tip: The bars will stay fresh in
an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can freeze the bars
for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before
serving and drizzling with caramel.

Notes: I like to use two
different kinds of apples for a more complex flavor. I typically use 1
tart apple variety such as Granny Smith, and 1 sweeter apple variety such
as Pink Lady. You'll end up with about 3-4 cups. A little more or less is OK,
based on your preference of filling.

Larger batch: Recipe can easily be
doubled and baked in a 9x13 pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes and cool
completely as directed in this recipe.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt
pan. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons bourbon and the candied ginger. Let
stand 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment, beat together the brown sugar and remaining butter on medium-high
speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time,
until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour with the
baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl,
whisk together the sour cream and vanilla. Pour in the bourbon from the ginger
mixture (reserve ginger) and whisk until smooth. Stir in zest.

With the mixer on medium speed, add the dry mixture and sour
cream mixture to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating between the
two. Fold in the ginger, apples and pecans. Scrape the batter into the prepared
pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake
comes out dry, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in the pan 20 minutes, then run a
paring knife around the sides of the pan to release the cake; cool, flat side
down, on a wire rack.

While the cake cools, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and
1/2 cup whiskey in a small saucepan. Over low heat, gently stir until the sugar
dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice and take off the heat.

While the cake cools, make 10 slits on top with a paring knife
and pour half the bourbon-sugar mixture on the still-warm cake. When the cake
is fully cool, flip it and pour the rest of the glaze on the other side, then
flip again to serve.

In another bowl, cut the butter into the flour and stir in the
light brown sugar, oats, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and
cardamom.

Spray interior of camp Dutch oven with cooking spray or wipe
with vegetable oil. Spread apple mixture in bottom of camp oven. Top with
topping mixture. Bake at 350° by placing 8 coals under and 16 on lid. Continue
cooking until apples are cooked and topping is brown. Serve warm with ice cream
or whipped cream.

To make the cake: Mix all of the ingredients except the apples
and nuts in a large bowl.

Beat until well combined; the mixture will be very stiff, and
may even be crumbly.

Add the apples and nuts, and mix until the apples release some
of their juice and the stiff mixture becomes a thick batter, somewhere between
cookie dough and brownie batter in consistency.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it with your
wet fingers.

Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or
toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few wet
crumbs clinging to it.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool
completely; don't remove the cake from the pan.

To make the frosting: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium
heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar
melts.

Add the milk, bring to a boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to
cool for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.
Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners' sugar.
Spread on the cake while frosting is still warm.

Yield: about 2 dozen servings.

Tips from our bakers

To toast
nuts, place them in a single layer in a cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F
oven for 6 to 9 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell
"toasty."

To guarantee
lump-free frosting, sift confectioners' sugar before adding to the butter
mixture. Usually all the lumps disappear as you beat the frosting; but to
guarantee no lumps at all, sift the sugar first.

Apple Rosettes

1-2 sheets puff pastry

1/4 cup cream cheese

3 tbsp sugar

cinnamon

1 apple

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp water

Take out the core and thinly slice the
apple.

Combine the apple slices with lemon
juice and water in a bowl and microwave 3 minutes. Cool the bowl in some ice
water. Pat dry the apple slices of excess moisture and set aside.

Boil lentils in water and then reduce heat to low, partially covered, and simmer 15 minutes.

Add onion, celery, cumin, mustard, ginger, coriander, and turmeric. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more, then add lemon juice and garlic. Cover and cook again for 10 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Stir in salt and add peppers to taste. Add spinach and apples at the end so they only cook slightly.

Mollie Katzen, Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Apple Cheddar Leek Quiche

Single Pie Crust (prebake as per directions on box if purchased, or prebake weighted for 15 minutes at 350)

Bake your pie crust. While doing that, saute leeks and apples with butter in frying pan. While sauteing that, beat eggs and cream, add pepper and nutmeg. When apples are soft, and leaks are browned, they are done. Pie crust is done too by now. Add apples and leaks and cheddar to egg mix, pour into pie crust, bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. Quiche will be puffy when you take it out of the oven, then settle a bit. I used a toothpick to make sure it was done in middle.

All of the above and more, I post about my experiences nourishing myself and my family physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually, particularly as my family and I adapt to a back injury that has limited my abilities and activities. Email me at mommyhungry at gmail dot com.

Please note: Mommy Hungry does not accept products for review, participate in advertising, or promote giveaways on this blog.